Waterford Hills is a racetrack that is about 25 miles northwest of downtown Detroit. It has been around since 1958 and is a short1.5 mile course featuring continuous elevation changes (although not dramatic ones like you would see at something like Laguna Seca).While this track was never one that was on the Trans-Am schedule, it did see a lot of action from people connected with the auto industryand thus saw many interesting cars and competitive drivers. Since Ron Lathrop took many nice, color pictures there, I thought I wouldpost some here for us to enjoy. Thank you Ron for sharing these!

Tom Swindell's '63 Z06 roadster next to the "Harley Earl Corvette". According to Franz Estereicher, Tom used this special Corvetteto tow his race car to the track (notice the tow ball). Tom Swindell was one of the top Corvette salesmen in the nation and workedat Dawson-Taylor Chevrolet in Detroit, which sold many hi-performance cars (including the L88 Corvette raced by Tony DeLorenzo).That's Norman Luther's '57 Corvette in the background. This photo was taken at the July '64 race at Waterford Hills.Photo by Ron Lathrop

Here's the Corvair of Don Eichstaedt. Don also competed in a later Corvair in the 1966 Sebring Trans-Am. Photo taken August '64.Photo by Ron Lathrop

Don in a wheel-to-wheel duel with the Valiant of Scott Harvey. Scott was a factory backed driver and both of these guys raced in Trans-Am in '66.Photo by Ron Lathrop

Here's Bob Johnson in the former Tom Payne Cobra. Bob raced in Trans-Am and was on the Penske Camaro team in various races from '67 - '69.Photo by Ron Lathrop

Tom Payne got himself a new Cobra for this August '64 race and won with it. Tom co-drove with Dick Guldstrand in the Dana Camarowhen they won the St. Jovite sedan race on May 21, 1967. Some believe St. Jovite was a true Trans-Am race in '67 but that is not true.It didn't get on the official T/A schedule until 1968. That's Bob Johnson standing in front of the guy in the red coat. The black '63 Z06Corvette cruising by in the background was driven by Jud Holcomb.Photo by Ron Lathrop

I guess this is Tom Payne's precursor to the Fickle Finger of Fate? Photo by Ron Lathrop

I got some help from John Hinckley and Franz Estereicher. Other details I either knew already or figured out on my own.I'm glad your happy with what I posted. Even though these were not actual Trans-Am photos, they were too cool not to post.

I got some help from John Hinckley and Franz Estereicher. Other details I either knew already or figured out on my own.I'm glad your happy with what I posted. Even though these were not actual Trans-Am photos, they were too cool not to post.

I LOVE the historic photos... I get so engrossed in looking at them I can lose hours upon hours. Thank God the economy is so bad I have the time to lose!!! hahahah

"There really was water in the natural pond at "Swamp Turn" (Spitfire picture) necessitating workers to be in a boat in case someone spun into the wet. It's solid now. In the same picture the proximity of the back straight to the back yards of the subdivision is clear. The club was always at war with the 'hood about noise, etc. Racecars have to meet decibil restrictions. The final shot shows the current wall which looks strong enough to contain King Kong."